Saurian: Super Realistic Dinosaur Video Game Needs A Kickstart

In the world of video games, dinosaurs are never very far away. From the multitude of Jurassic Park tie-ins to the oft-rebooted Turok: Son of Stone franchise, there can be no doubting that these mighty prehistoric beasts make great fodder for all sorts of video games from beat ’em ups to first person shooters. Even games that aren’t specifically about dinosaurs tend to have a dino-themed level or character thrown into the mix for good measure. After all, Mario would be a whole lot less super if he didn’t have a Yoshi by his side.

Despite the ongoing popularity of both dinosaurs and video games, finding a video game where the dinos are portrayed in a scientifically accurate fashion is akin to finding a hen’s tooth. Generally speaking, the gaming studios stick science in the back seat while violence and carnage take to centre stage. It is probably not all that surprising when you take into account that many dinosaurs look like fantastic monsters ripped straight from the pages of a book of mytholigical miscellany. To that end, they make great antagonists or, even better again. engines of destruction which you can control in order to lay waste to those foolhardy enough to oppose you.

There is one video game currently in production which looks set to display dinosaurs in a totally different, and much more realistic, light than your average action-adventure romp. Saurian is an open-world simulator with survival-based gameplay set in the backdrop of Hell Creek, one of the world’s most meticulously studied dinosaur sites. Rather than charging and battling your way through some pre-conceived levels, Saurian challenges gamers to carry out a very different task; live out the life of your dinosaur, from tiny hatchling to full-sized adult, and do what a dinosaur would have had to do in order to survive long enough to pass its genes on to the next generation.

The Dinosaurs of Saurian

Saurian has a total of four fully playable dinosaurs to choose from. Which dinosaurs you say? Why, only some of the best of course!

Tyrannosaurus rex

It would simply be rude not to include the mighty T. rex in a dinosaur video game and, as luck would have it, Tyrannosaurus lived in Hell Creek so is one of the stars of the show. However, if you were thinking that this is your opportunity to pick the biggest, strongest character and tear everyone else a new one from the word go then you are mistaken. Even the king has to start at the bottom and juvenile tyrannosaurs need to watch their backs as they can quite easily fall prey to Hell Creek’s other predators, such as Dakotaraptor. Even if you survive long enough to become an adult Tyrannosaurus, you won’t suddenly become invincible. As reason would dictate, charging directly into the business end of an irate Triceratops is a good way to get yourself skewered and killed, so legitimate stalking and hunting tactics should be adhered to in order to stand the best possible chance of survival.

Dakotaraptor steini

Only unveiled by palaeontologists in 2015, Dakotaraptor is about the closest thing to the famous ‘raptors’ of Jurassic Park that the real world can give us, albeit with a whole lot more feathers. In a world where it isn’t the biggest predator in town and the prey have a nasty habit of fighting back aggressively, Dakotaraptor must use its speed, wits and agility to get ahead in life. The sheer dynamism of this ‘character’ will no doubt make it a popular choice among players once Saurian is complete. Ever seen a dinosaur climb a tree before? You soon will!

Triceratops horridus

Just because you don’t eat meat, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a rompin’ stompin’ good time! Triceratops will suit players that don’t like to intentionally go out looking for trouble but are more than capable of dishing out a world of pain to any predator with more hunger pangs than common sense. With food literally growing out of the ground for it, Triceratops has challenges of its own to undertake. From the trials of migration, finding a good spot in the herd (free from pesky tyrannosaur attacks) and the all important inter-species jousting that takes place in order to secure mating rights, Triceratops has plenty to do – just as well it doesn’t have to catch its own dinner!

Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis

Finishing off the Saurian playable dinosaur quartet is Pachycephalosaurus, the dome-headed plant-eater which has a habit of making brief cameos in Jurssic Park movies. Named after its thick head, Pachycephalosaurus is known for having a penchant for headbutting. Of course, in Saurian you’ll have to do a lot more than that if you are to live more than a couple of seasons. For Pachycephalosaurus, the challenge is knowing when to fight and when to take flight. Obviously, when a T. rex comes crashing through the undergrowth it’s a bit of a no brainer, but you could probably take down that ‘raptor couldn’t you? So you charge forward, ready to give him what for. And that’s when the attack comes. Not from the front, but from the side. *”swoop”* The other to ‘raptors, you didn’t even know where there…

You’d look grinning too if your skull was 10 inches thick!

Outside of the playable dinosaurs found in Saurian, the game’s developers have gone to great lengths to ensure that they have recreated a full and accurate eco-system for you to explore. You will share your habitat with all manner of other prehistoric creatures that lived in the same time and place as your chosen dinosaur, from the massive flying Quetzalcoatlus which will make a meal of your juvenile dino if you aren’t careful, to a host of small critters like lizards and turtles. Even the plants you encounter are based off those found in Hell Creek’s fossil record, making Saurian the most scientifically authentic and up-to-date dinosaur video game yet created.

If you would like to help make Saurian a reality, feel free to throw them some money over on their Kickstarter page and check out the project’s latest developments on the game’s official website.

Sean is Geek Ireland's resident dinosaur enthusiast, having been fascinated by prehistory since a time before he could read, speak or stand in an upright position (he still struggles to do at least one of these things on a daily basis).
Known as one of the biggest dinosaur fans Ireland has ever produced, Sean has delivered talks on his favourite subject at many venues and events including the Irish Film Institute, the UCD Science Expression Festival, Tayto Park, Dublin Comic Con and even London's Comedy Store.